Xerochrysum plant named ‘Bonxero 148’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant named ‘Bonxero 148’, characterized by its upright, mounding and uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; large inflorescences with bright yellow-colored involucral bracts; and strong peduncles that hold the inflorescences above the foliar plane.

Botanical designation: Xerochrysum bracteatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BONXERO 148’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant, botanically known as Xerochrysum bracteatum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bonxero 148’.

The new Xerochrysum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create and develop new upright Xerochrysum cultivars with uniformly mounded plant habit, freely flowering habit and large attractive inflorescences.

The new Xerochrysum plant originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor on Apr. 30, 2013 of a proprietary selection of Xerochrysum bracteatum identified as code number 00-186, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Xerochrysum bracteatum identified as code number 00-37.90, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Xerochrysum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia on Apr. 11, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Xerochrysum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia since April, 2014, has shown that the unique features of this new Xerochrysum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Xerochrysum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bonxero 148’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bonxero 148’ as a new and distinct Xerochrysum plant:

-   -   1. Upright, mounding and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large inflorescences with bright yellow-colored involucral         bracts.     -   5. Strong peduncles that hold the inflorescences above the         foliar plane.

In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Xerochrysum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Xerochrysum are more vigorous than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Xerochrysum have larger inflorescences than         plants of the female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Xerochrysum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Xerochrysum are more vigorous than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Xerochrysum have larger inflorescences than         plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Xerochrysum can be compared to plants of the Bracteantha bracteata ‘OHB003790’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,629. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Xerochrysum differ primarily from plants of ‘OHB003790’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Xerochrysum are larger and more vigorous         than plants of ‘OHB003790’.     -   2. Plants of the new Xerochrysum have larger leaves than plants         of ‘OHB003790’.     -   3. Plants of the new Xerochrysum have larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘OHB003790’.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Xerochrysum have more         involucral bracts and disc florets than inflorescences of plants         of ‘OHB003790’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Xerochrysum plant. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Xerochrysum plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bonxero 148’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Bonxero 148’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 20-cm container in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Xerochrysum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night averaged 13° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were about four months old when the photographs were taken and five months old when the detailed description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Xerochrysum bracteatum ‘Bonxero 148’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Xerochrysum bracteatum identified as code number 00-186, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Xerochrysum bracteatum identified as code number 00-37.90,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at             temperatures about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at             temperatures about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About three weeks             at temperatures about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About four weeks             at temperatures about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright, mounding and uniform             plant habit with inflorescences held above the foliage on             strong peduncles; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 43 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 53 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching habit             with about seven lateral branches per plant. Length: About             14 cm. Diameter: About 6.2 mm. Internode length: About             2.3 cm. Aspect: Upright to slightly outwardly. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Rough, pubescent. Color: Close to 143B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple; sessile.             Length: About 8.7 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rough, pubescent.             Venation pattern: Pinnate; reticulate. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137B. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to NN137B; venation, close to 147D. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 147C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Terminal double-type inflorescence form with             lanceolate involucral bracts; involucral bracts and disc             florets developing acropetally on a capitulum;             inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles; inflorescences face mostly upright.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit; about 35 to 40             inflorescences develop per plant during the flowering             season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—In Japan, plants begin to flower about 21             weeks after planting and in the garden, plant flower             continuously from the spring through autumn.         -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about 18 days on the plant; inflorescences             persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About             1.3 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 9B and 163A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7 cm. Depth (height):             About 3 cm. Disc diameter: About 2.2 cm. Disc height: About             4.3 mm.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence and             arrangement: About 300 arranged in numerous whorls. Length:             About 1.8 cm. Width: About 7.3 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; papery;             glossy. Orientation: Initially upright becoming horizontal             with development. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 3A. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 3A.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 1,300 spirally arranged in the center of the             receptacle. Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter, distally: About             2.2 mm. Diameter, proximally: About 1 mm. Shape: Tubular;             apex dentate, five-pointed. Texture, inner and outer             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When developing, inner             surface: Close to 151D. When developing, outer surface:             Close to 23A. Fully developed, inner and outer surfaces:             Close to 23A; towards the base, close to 4D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About 3.3 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to slightly outwardly.             Texture: Rough, pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs (present on disc florets             only).—Androecium: Quantity per disc floret: About five.             Filament length: About 6 mm. Filament color: Close to 157D.             Anther size: About 3.5 mm by 0.6 mm. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 14A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 13B. Gynoecium: Pistil             length: About 1 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:             Close to 14B. Style color: Distally, close to 14B;             proximally, close to 157D. Ovary color: Close to 155A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Xerochrysum to date. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Xerochrysum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Xerochrysum to date. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Xerochrysum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about     35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Xerochrysum plant named ‘Bonxero 148’ as illustrated and described. 